RETURNING TO DONG THAP – SOWING SEEDS OF HOPE IN THE MAY RAINS
May returns with the first rains of the season, drenching the land of Lap Vo, Dong Thap – a place we visited a year ago. This journey is not about looking back, but about continuing the mission of Hold Hands Together – a journey that connects compassionate hearts and shares kindness with lives in hardship.
On slippery village roads soaked with rain, our motorbike convoy moved slowly, carrying five scholarships to students in Binh Thanh Trung commune – young saplings growing resiliently through life’s many challenges.
These students are in middle and high school, coming from poor families facing various difficulties. Some live with elderly grandparents, others lost their mothers at a young age, studying under leaky roofs and crossing long, rough roads to get to school. Yet in their eyes still shines a light of hope, and within them still burns the dream of a brighter future – where knowledge becomes wings that help them rise above poverty.
The students supported by the Hold Hands Together Fund include:
Nguyen Hoang Duy (born 2012): Duy lives with both parents, but they work in strenuous, low-paid manual labor jobs, mainly as construction assistants. Their health is declining, and the unstable income barely covers daily necessities, making it very difficult to support both children’s education.
Vo Tran Hai Dang (born 2011): Though Dang still has both parents, they work in unstable construction jobs and suffer from poor health. His home is far from school, accessible only through isolated, unlit rural paths. Still, he rides his bicycle to school every day, rain or shine. Dang is studious and determined to rise above poverty.
Tran Van Toi (born 2010): Toi lives with his father and paternal grandparents. His father, the family’s main breadwinner, recently suffered a serious leg injury, greatly limiting his ability to work. His elderly grandparents are too weak to work. The family struggles with unstable income and food insecurity. Despite this, Toi remains diligent and committed to his studies, hoping to finish school and one day support his family out of poverty.
Nguyen Thi Thao Vy (born 2009): Vy lives in a house that is severely run-down and leaks badly during storms. Her mother left when she was young, and she now lives with her father. Because their house is unsafe, she sleeps at a relative’s home nearby each night. Despite material and emotional hardships, Vy excels in her studies and is determined to continue schooling in hopes of a better future and of being able to take care of her father.
Nguyen Thi My Vi (born 2007): Vi’s family lives in a deteriorating old house. Both parents work as factory laborers with low and unstable income, but they strive to support Vi and her twin sister through school. Despite many difficulties, they put their children’s education first. Vi studies hard, maintains good academic results, and actively participates in school and youth union activities. She is determined to succeed and help lift her family out of poverty.
The scholarships offered may not carry great material value, but they gently remind the children: “You are not alone on the journey of growing up.” These are timely acts of encouragement – spiritual embraces that help the children stay hopeful and committed to their dreams of education.
At the scholarship ceremony, a local government representative shared emotionally:
“We deeply appreciate the care and support your company has shown to disadvantaged students in our area. This is not only material assistance but also a priceless spiritual gift that motivates our children to overcome hardship and strive in their studies.”
The journey ended in a soft drizzle, but hearts were warmed by grateful eyes, pure smiles, and quietly blooming hopes. Because when the seeds of love are sown in the right place, green shoots will grow – resilient, strong, and full of life.